Senior Police Officer Jaime De Luna Padron, aged 40, was shot and killed on April 6, 2012, while responding to a disturbance at a Walmart store on the I-35 Frontage Road in Austin, Texas. Officer Padron, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, had served with the Austin Police Department for three years and had previously served with the Austin Airport Police Department and the San Angelo Police Department for 14 years. He was a dedicated officer who left behind two young daughters and his parents.
On the night of his death, Officer Padron responded to reports of an intoxicated man shoplifting at the Walmart store. Upon arriving at the scene, he spoke with two employees and attempted to stop the man as he tried to leave the store. During the ensuing struggle, the man pulled out a handgun and shot Officer Padron in the vest and neck. Despite being shot, Officer Padron continued to fight, but he ultimately succumbed to his injuries at the scene.
Two Walmart employees tackled the shooter and held him down until responding units arrived and placed him under arrest. The suspect, Brandon Daniel, was later convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death. Daniel's conviction was upheld by the state's highest criminal court, and he was found dead in his prison cell in October 2021, though officials did not believe his death involved foul play.
In honor of Officer Padron's sacrifice, Rio Vista Park in San Angelo was renamed Jaime Padron Park, and Austin ISD dedicated an elementary school in his name, Padron Elementary, which opened in August 2014. Officer Padron's legacy continues to be remembered and honored by his family, friends, and the community.
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